Write well because writing poorly gets you nowhere.

August 21, 2013

Happy Bear - Then and Now (Part 2)

Yeah, yeah. I wrote "Happy Bear" when I was kindergarten, BUT since most of us are just sure that are skills are at that kindergartener level, I think it's important to use mirrors to get a more realistic view of our skills.

So, here is some advice I have for the five-year-old Dawn and her Happy Bear story:

1. Character development - why is it important that the bear be happy? What's his motivation?

2. Writing for the audience - why does the audience care? How can you get the audience invested in Happy Bear's welfare?

3. Tension - There has to be a problem in the story, or there's no reason for the reader to keep reading. Why do you think the news is full of bad stuff? Because that's what gets people's attention, and there really is no story in "Nothing happened today on Sycamore Street." See? End of story.

4. Plot - Where's the plot in "Happy Bear"? Along with creating tension, there has to be a beginning, middle, and end.